This invention relates generally to the field of dentistry. More specifically, the present invention relates to an anterior tooth characterization guide, a method of selecting characterizations for an anterior tooth prosthesis, and a process for fabricating a characterized tooth prosthesis.
Accurate communication between dentists and laboratories that manufacture tooth prostheses has been a subject of continuous concern as technology progresses. When instructing the laboratory to construct a tooth prosthesis, it is desirable to manufacture the prosthesis in such a manner that it is virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding natural teeth.
Many manufacturers of tooth prostheses provide preformed samples of multi-color, multi-layer fabricated teeth as references for color. The dentist may communicate to the lab regarding the desired color of the tooth prosthesis utilizing a shade guide having a number of these fabricated teeth for reference. In this regard, the dentist typically holds a sample tooth against the mouth in an attempt to find the closest sample to the natural tooth.
Such dental shade guides typically include a number of anterior tooth-shaped and detailed samples. Although the anterior tooth samples of typical prior dental shade guides usually permit the dentist to match a general color of the tooth prosthesis to be manufactured with the color of a patient's natural teeth, they do not provide suitable means for permitting the dentist to relay to the laboratory the characteristics to be incorporated into the tooth prosthesis to match the natural tooth. In this regard, variables which should be taken into account when manufacturing a tooth prosthesis include the dentin color, the incisal color, the body to incisal relation OR "blend", the dentin structure and translucent effect, and the amount of white stain. Additional characterization features may include cracking, brown check lines, white spots and hallow.
Even if a dentist is able to accurately identify each of the variables which should be taken in account when manufacturing a tooth prosthesis, ultimately the quality of the prosthesis produced by a technician in the laboratory is dependent on the technician's artistic ability and attention to detail. The same instructions from a dentist to a laboratory may produce one tooth prosthesis which is quite different from another if the instructions are given to different technicians.
Accordingly, there has been a need for an anterior tooth characterization guide and method of selecting characterizations for an anterior tooth prosthesis which can simply, yet effectively, facilitate accurate communication of the desired characteristics of a tooth prosthesis between the dentist and the laboratory. In this regard, a novel process for fabricating a characterized tooth prosthesis is needed to ensure that the desired characteristics are communicated to the laboratory. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.